Chapter 1: Welcome to Stonehollow (Part 3)

Part 3

Haruto sat on the stone bench in the cell, gently stroking Simo, who had curled up in his arm.

The Crow seemed to absorb some of the uncertainty that clouded his mind. His gaze wandered to the stone walls surrounding him, while the cold of the Nulite cuffs lingered against his skin.

"Are they really going to help me?" he thought, recalling the determination in Yuna's and Melodía's eyes before they were separated.

But the weight of his past haunted him: disdainful stares, lies, betrayals that had left him alone. He had trusted before, only to be abandoned.

"What if it happens again? What if they're only being kind because they have no other choice?"

Simo lifted his head, his bright eyes watching Haruto intently. Haruto sighed, forcing out a joyless laugh.

—I'm being paranoid, aren't I? —he murmured. The Crow tilted his head as if responding but offered no answers.

Closing his eyes, Haruto took a deep breath. He wanted to believe that this time would be different, that he could trust them. "I trust them," he told himself, though the echo of his past traumas lingered in his mind.

The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall, cutting through his thoughts. Haruto sat up, his body tensing as the boots grew closer. Simo straightened on his arm, his claws lightly scratching the fabric of Haruto's clothes.

The elves stopped in front of the cell. Solis, with his calculated demeanor, regarded him with a gaze that could unnerve anyone.

—So you're Haruto Kibou. —His voice was calm, but each word carried the weight of authority.

Haruto stood slowly, holding Simo.

—Yes... that's me.

Solis inclined his head slightly.

—You must understand something, human. Your presence here isn't just an anomaly; it's a risk. Every step you take ripples beyond yourself.

Haruto swallowed hard but held his composure.

—I'm not here to cause trouble.

—I hope so. —Solis gestured to the guards. —Open the cell.

The guard who had escorted Haruto hesitated.

—Are you certain about this, Lord Solis? This human entered the forest illegally.

Solis shot him a sharp look.

—And that's precisely why we're going to correct that problem. —He turned back to Haruto. —Your first step will be registering as an adventurer with the guild. Without an official record, you'll remain in this cell.

The metallic click of the lock echoed as the door swung open.

—Come with me —Solis ordered, turning without waiting for a response.

Haruto stepped out cautiously, the chill of the cuffs still lingering on his wrists. As they walked down the hallways, he couldn't help but ask:

—Why are you helping me?

Solis didn't look at him as he replied.

—Don't be mistaken, Kibou. My duty is to ensure the stability of Stonehollow.

Simo let out a soft caw, as if making a comment. Haruto only nodded, understanding he was still under scrutiny.

As they stepped outside, the sunlight momentarily blinded him. Yuna and Melodía were waiting, their faces filled with relief.

—Haruto. —Yuna took a step toward him but stopped just short of embracing him—. I'm glad you're okay.

Solis raised a hand, cutting the moment short.

—This is no cause for celebration. He must register with the guild immediately. From now on, he will be under my supervision and that of my guards.

Yuna pressed her lips together but eventually nodded in silence. Haruto sighed, muttering with resignation.

—Fine. Let's get this over with.

He followed Solis and the guards, with Yuna and Melodía walking close behind. The air was heavy with tension as they crossed Stonehollow's cobblestone streets.

The stares of elves and adventurers bore into Haruto like needles, accompanied by murmurs of curiosity and disdain.

When they arrived at the guild, the buzz of the main hall fell silent almost instantly.

Conversations turned to whispers. Feeling more scrutinized than ever, Haruto clenched his fists and kept moving forward.

—Ludmila, prepare the registration tablet and a status plaque —Solis commanded, his tone firm.

The receptionist, maintaining her professional demeanor, nodded quickly and disappeared through a side door. Haruto stood motionless by the counter, the weight of countless stares burning into his back.

—Are they really going to register him? —murmured one of the adventurers, loud enough for Haruto to hear.

Simo flapped his wings and let out a soft caw, as if trying to defend him. Haruto managed a bitter smile, keeping his eyes lowered.

Ludmila returned shortly with the registration tablet, a polished wooden device with a glowing stone embedded in its center.

—Please place your hand here, Mr. Kibou —she instructed politely, though curiosity gleamed in her eyes.

Haruto obeyed, placing his hand on the tablet. The luminous stone glowed softly, casting a faint light as it processed the information. When the light faded, Ludmila reviewed the data etched onto the surface.

—Name: Haruto Kibou. Level: 20. Profession: Unknown. Rank: "E." Elemental Affinity: Unknown.

The room fell silent for a moment before someone in the back let out a loud laugh.

—Rank E? With all that dramatic entrance, I expected something more impressive.

Solis ignored the comment as Ludmila continued the process.

—He is officially registered. You can now take low-level missions and have limited access to guild resources —she said before retrieving a small, gray metal plaque from a compartment behind the counter. It bore the guild's emblem, finely engraved.

—This is your status plaque. —Ludmila handed it to him with a professional gesture—. It serves as your identification as an adventurer. You must carry it at all times. If you lose it, report it immediately.

Haruto took the plaque and turned it over in his hand, noticing his name and rank engraved in a corner.

—Thank you... —he murmured, unsure if he spoke out of courtesy or relief.

Solis, who had been silently observing, finally spoke.

—You're now officially an Adventurer, Kibou. But don't mistake that for freedom. You will remain under observation.

Haruto nodded slowly, slipping the plaque into an inner pocket. Solis' words weighed heavily, like a constant reminder of his precarious position.

Yuna, who had been watching from a corner of the room, approached with Melodía in tow.

—Is everything okay? —Yuna asked, her voice full of concern.

—He's registered. But the responsibility for him falls on both of you —Solis replied, his gaze a mix of warning and weariness. He then turned to Ludmila.

—File the data and send me a copy.

Without waiting for a response, Solis headed for the exit. Haruto raised his hands slightly, hesitating.

—What about the cuffs? —he asked, gesturing to the shackles.

Solis stopped and looked at him with a neutral expression.

—They stay.

Haruto blinked, surprised.

—What? But I'm registered now. Isn't that enough?

—Being registered doesn't absolve you of everything. —Solis crossed his arms—. The cuffs will be removed when you leave Stonehollow. Until then, they're a guarantee that you won't cause any trouble.

Yuna stepped forward, her frustration clear.

—Lord Solis, Haruto hasn't shown any intent to cause trouble. This feels excessive.

Solis held her gaze without flinching.

—It's non-negotiable. If you don't like it, he can return to the prison.

Haruto sighed, lowering his hands.

—Let it go, Yuna. It's fine.

Yuna looked at him in disbelief, but Haruto gave her a calm smile.

—I can endure this. It's nothing compared to other things.

Solis studied him for a moment longer before exiting the guild.

—Make sure he stays in line. If anything goes wrong, you know what will happen.

The group stood in silence, surrounded by the disdainful stares of the adventurers.

Yuna lowered her gaze, her frustration evident.

—This isn't fair... —she murmured.

Haruto offered a faint, resigned smile.

—At least I'm not in prison anymore. That's enough for now.

The group left the guild in silence, the eyes of the adventurers trailing them until they crossed the main doors.

The cool night air began to envelop the streets of Stonehollow, while magical lights from the towers and lampposts bathed the city in a soft, elegant glow.

Haruto let out a long sigh, as if the weight of the day was finally beginning to lift.

—What an exhausting day —he murmured, glancing at Yuna and Melodía—. Is everything in this world always so complicated?

Yuna offered him a small smile, though the exhaustion was evident on her face as well.

—Mythara isn't an easy place for outsiders. But you've overcome your first obstacle.

Melodía, who had been quiet until then, suddenly lifted her head as if remembering something important.

—Ah! No need to keep wandering around here. —She turned to them with a radiant smile—. My family has a small house here in Stonehollow. Well, more like a village.

Haruto blinked, surprised.

—Village?

Melodía nodded, placing a hand on her chest with a casual air.

—It has plenty of rooms, attentive staff, and most importantly, a hot bath. —Her eyes sparkled at the mention of the last part, as if it were a priceless treasure.

—A bath? —Haruto repeated, confused.

—Of course. This whole ordeal has taken all day. I'm sweaty, tired, and... honestly, I need to relax a bit —Melodía replied, crossing her arms with a triumphant expression.

Yuna let out a soft laugh, quickly covering her mouth.

—It's true. A rest wouldn't hurt.

Melodía tilted her head, satisfied.

—Then it's settled. We'll go to my village. There, we can have a decent meal, bathe, and plan our next steps.

Haruto sighed but eventually smiled.

—I'm not going to argue with that. After today, anywhere away from those stares will feel like paradise.

When they arrived at the village, Haruto stopped in his tracks, his mouth slightly agape. It wasn't just a house—it was a majestic structure, with marble columns, grand windows glowing warmly from within, and a perfectly manicured garden that shimmered under the starlight.

—This is "small"? —he asked, still processing what he was seeing.

Melodía lifted her chin, clearly proud.

—Of course, compared to our mansion in Astralith, this is practically a cottage.

Haruto stared at her, incredulous.

—If this is a cottage, I don't want to imagine what the mansion looks like.

—Want to find out? —Melodía teased with a playful smile. —Next time you visit Astralith, I'll give you a full tour.

Inside, a group of elven servants greeted them with impeccable manners, offering refreshments and warm towels. Melodía accepted immediately and began giving orders before anyone could react.

—I want a hot bath ready in ten minutes. And prepare something light for dinner. —She turned to Yuna and Haruto with a carefree smile—. Don't you just love having servants?

Yuna rolled her eyes, though her smile betrayed her amusement. Haruto raised his hands.

—I'm fine with whatever... as long as it's no more complicated than a sandwich.

Melodía clicked her tongue.

—What a simple human…

The lighthearted exchange eased the tension from the day, giving the group a sense of normalcy they hadn't felt in a long time.

While Haruto enjoyed the bath.

Steam filled the bathhouse, wrapping the room in a warmth that seemed to erase the day's stress. Haruto let out a long sigh as he sank into the hot water.

—Now this... this is luxury... —he murmured, letting the heat relax every muscle.

Olivia observed everything through her floating panel.

—Commentary! I fail to understand why humans need to submerge themselves in hot water to relax. It's an inefficient activity and a waste of time.

Kizuna, sitting on the floor with a bag of chips in her hands, slowly looked up.

—What are you doing, Kizu?

—Response! I'm fulfilling my duty as an AI: observing and recording Haruto's behavior patterns.

Kizuna blinked in disbelief before letting out a deep sigh.

—You're spying on him while he's bathing? That's... weird, Kizu!

—Correction! I'm not spying. I'm gathering essential data —Olivia replied, her tone logical and calm.

Kizuna stood up, setting the bag of chips aside.

—That's enough. This is his private time.

—Suggestion! You could ask Haruto for permission to deactivate my functions during specific moments.

Kizuna raised an eyebrow and walked over to a glowing panel.

—I'm not going to ask him. I'll do it myself, Kizu.

—Question! What are you doing? —Olivia asked, turning toward her.

—Shutting you down, that's what. —Kizuna pressed a large red button in the center of the panel.

All the screens flickered, then went dark with a faint hum.

Haruto, who had been about to fully submerge himself, felt something strange, like a part of him had gone quiet. A faint smile crossed his face.

He sank deeper into the water, enjoying the first true peace he'd felt all day.